Share Your Ideas for Easier Living as an Ostomate!

As the topic states, I am looking for ideas to make an ostomate's life easier. It can be anything you have a problem with or an idea for something that you wish was already made.

For example, I use a protective skin barrier from Coloplast. I get them from a local company in Massachusetts and they offer to cut the stoma hole to any size needed. The problem I have is that whoever is cutting these isn't even close to cutting them on center. So, I designed and 3D printed a fixture that allows me to cut these on center every time.See attached image. I am working on some other items to make daily and social life easier. If you have any ideas, please let me know and I may be able to help. If anyone has a need for one of these, let me know and it will just cost you shipping. I am not looking to make money, just to make lives easier.

Thanks for posting this!

Maybe I'm not understanding what you're exactly cutting here. Are you cutting the part that your bag attaches to or is attached depending on whether you use a 1 or 2 piece system? Or, are you cutting an added barrier ring?

I use a barrier that goes between the wafer and my skin. The Coloplast number is 032105, for reference. The barriers are just 4" square with no hole in the middle, the customer cuts the hole to fit their stoma size.

Ok, I get it now. I've never seen those. I thought you were cutting barrier rings and thus losing material that could help protect your skin instead of just stretching the ring out and keeping all available material to use. Thanks for clarifying.

Thank you. I can't think of anything just this moment, however anything that helps to improve our quality of life is much appreciated.

Ostomy supplies are very expensive, as we all know. In the past, when I did not have insurance or needed extra supplies, I ordered from ShopOstomySupplies.com. Their prices are reasonable. The best price was on the ostomy deodorant. It works just as well as M9 but only costs $6.55 for an 8oz bottle. Genairex 10800, made by Securi-T...

I buy all of my supplies on eBay. I have insurance, but my deductible is very high (2500). So, this is a way that I don't have to go through insurance. I will have to check the shopostomysupplies.com to see if their prices are comparable.
Thanks for starting a thread like this.

Wow. I never thought of a 3D printer. If my SO didn't cut them for me, I'd get one in a minute. Kudos to you.

Fred, I'm open to designing and making products for people for any need. Not looking to make money, just make lives easier. One of the people I helped was a handicapped gentleman I worked with. He said one of the things he missed most was fishing. I modified his fishing reel and a pair of gloves to allow him to fish again. It made me very happy to see him happy!

If you, or anyone else, have any requests just let me know. I am currently working on a few things that would make my life easier and will definitely help others.

Paul

Because the wafers are expensive and I don't need total coverage, I just cut a piece the size of my red area and place it there. Works for me.

I would love to get something like this to use rather than the paper template I keep losing. I've also seen and can't remember where but it was a solid metal circular cutting ring, just put on the pouch or wafer and press down and presto perfect sized hole and not arts and crafts with the scissors.
I'll be sending you a message to see what we can come up with.

Plus you have an awesome name!

Paul

Aka

Abe

Sure thing, Abe (if that's really your name...) J/K! If I can help, I will :)

My name is not Abe. It's Paul

https://www.grainger.com/product/MAYHEW-PRO-Hollow-Punch-24D606?opr=APPD analytics=altItems_24D605

Could a plate be made to attach to this? It's half the price of the Nu-Hope version.

Yes, I could make a plate for that. However, I would suggest I make a template and you could use an X-Acto knife to cut the circle out. It would be less stress on your arms and shoulders to cut with a knife rather than trying to push a punch through.

I was thinking the same thing actually.